Second World War

Explore Second World War stories

Churchill, Truman and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference, 23 July 1945

On This Day: July 1945

In July 1945, Allied leaders assembled at Potsdam to finalise their plans for postwar Europe. The discussions were held as news emerged that the United States had successfully tested a new superweapon.

No 3 Commando disembarking at Tilbury Docks, June 1945

On This Day: June 1945

In June 1945, the British Army reached its wartime peak of 3.1 million soldiers. Troops were deployed all over the world on military, peacekeeping, administrative and occupational missions.

VE Day celebrations at Nairobi, Kenya, May 1945

On This Day: May 1945

In May 1945, the Allies celebrated Victory in Europe. While the war in Japan was still to be won, attention also turned to the challenges of the peace, not least the return home of millions of soldiers.

Berlin Victory Parade, 21 July 1945

Victory: May–August 1945

In the summer of 1945, the Second World War came to an end. After Victory in Europe was declared in May, the final surrender of Japan was secured by mid-August. But the British Army’s work was far from over.

'Kangaroo' carrying infantry into battle near Conselice, Italy, April 1945

On This Day: April 1945

In April 1945, British and Allied forces advanced through Germany and uncovered disturbing evidence of the Holocaust. Meanwhile, the Spring Offensive in the Mediterranean brought about the liberation of northern Italy.

Troops boarding storm boats and crossing the Rhine at dawn, 24 March 1945

On This Day: March 1945

In March 1945, British soldiers crossed the Rhine and advanced into Germany. Securing victory in Europe was now only a matter of time.

Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta Conference, 1945

On This Day: February 1945

In February 1945, as the fighting continued on all fronts, formal plans began to take shape for how the world would look once the war was won.

Sherman tanks in the town of Asten in the Netherlands, January 1945

On This Day: January 1945

In January 1945, the overarching priority for the Army remained winning the war, and – for its soldiers in Europe at least – seeing off the cold, wintry weather.

British Army Commandos in the snow, January 1945

Endgame: January–April 1945

As the Second World War entered its final phase, the British Army and its allies were poised to make significant advances in Italy, Germany and Burma. Yet the complex challenges of the peace now came ever more sharply into focus.

James Thurlby, 1943

In Their Own Words: Sergeant James Thurlby

James Thurlby served during the Second World War and turned his talents as a journalist to describing his experiences as a soldier. His writings provide a visceral account of combat and a profound insight into the horrors of war.

Ted Senior during his time as a prisoner of war, c1943

In Their Own Words: Major Ted Senior

Ted Senior was captured by the Japanese during the Second World War and forced to work on the Thai-Burma ‘Death Railway'. The diary he kept reveals the horrific conditions that he and his fellow prisoners endured.

Audrey Chitty with Helen Pine at the ATS Training Depot, Sarafand, Palestine, Summer 1942

Audrey Chitty and the ATS in Palestine

Audrey Chitty was one of many women who stepped up to meet the challenges of the Second World War. She played a key role in establishing the Auxiliary Territorial Service in the Middle East.

Explore Second World War events

A clergyman and Civil Defence workers helping to clear the debris of a London school, 1940
Primary
1 Jun 2024 - 20 Jul 2026 FREE

London in the Second World War: The Blitz (virtual)

Explore historic artefacts to discover more about the London Blitz and the people who worked to keep civilians safe.

London in the Second World War: The Blitz
Primary
1 Jun 2024 - 20 Jul 2026 FREE

London in the Second World War: The Blitz

Explore historic artefacts to discover more about the Blitz and the people who worked to keep civilians safe.

School students getting to grips with the handling collection
Secondary
1 Jun 2024 - 20 Jul 2026 FREE

World at War: Soldiers of Empire

Discover more about the contributions of soldiers from the British Empire in the First and Second World Wars.

'The Army That Never Was' book cover
Talk
18 Jul 2025 FREE

The Army That Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception

Taylor Downing tells the remarkable story of the deceptions, hoaxes and misdirections carried out by the Allies ahead of the D-Day landings.

A family taking part in a giant board game challenge
Workshop
12-15 Aug 2025 FREE

Game On: Second World War

Join us as we delve into the fascinating history of the Second World War with our giant board game challenge.

Children taking part in an interactive gallery tour
Tour
13-15 Aug 2025 FREE

Marching Orders: VJ Day Tour

Join us on this family-friendly gallery tour as we explore some of the events in the Far East that brought an end to the Second World War.

'1945: The Reckoning' book cover
Talk
15 Aug 2025 FREE

1945: The Reckoning

To mark VJ Day, join author and filmmaker Phil Craig as he explores some of the geopolitical implications of the Allied victory in the Second World War.

Mr Bill Krepper, late of the Pioneer Corps, leaves the demobilisation clothing depot at Olympia, London, as a civilian, wearing his demob suit, July 1945
Talk
22 Aug 2025 FREE

Demob Suits: One Uniform for Another?

Join Dr Danielle Sprecher as she examines the production and provision of civilian clothing for British servicemen demobilised after the Second World War.

'Half a Banana' book cover
Talk
5 Sep 2025 FREE

Half a Banana: The Diary of a Gurkha Officer, 1942-45

Join Richard and David Kemmis Betty as they recount their father’s experiences as a British Indian Army officer fighting in Malaya and imprisoned in Singapore during the Second World War.

Detail from 'Troops of the Royal West African Frontier Force in the Arakan, Burma, 1944'
Exhibition
16 Sep 2025 - 13 Apr 2026 FREE

Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies

Marking the 80th anniversary of VJ (Victory over Japan) Day, this exhibition shines a light on the remarkable multinational army that fought in some of the toughest conditions of the Second World War.

Royal Artillery gun detachment preparing to fire a 3.7 in howitzer during the Battle of the Ngakyedauk Pass, Arakan, February 1944
Spotlight
20 Sep 2025 FREE

Burma Day

Join us for a special day of talks and activities to celebrate the opening of our forthcoming exhibition, ‘Beyond Burma’, and to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.

People feeling the textures of items in the handling collection
Tour
12 Oct 2025 FREE

Beyond Burma: Sensory Tour

Explore our forthcoming exhibition ‘Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies’ through a sensory tour guided by our Community Engagement Team.

Outside an advanced dressing station at Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Western Front, April 1917
Timeline

Health and Medicine in the Army: Interactive Timeline

Uncover the history of medical developments in the British Army through this interactive timeline packed with nearly 200 sources.

History of Warfare: Gallery Trail
Trail

History of Warfare: Gallery Trail

Follow the trail to find 10 objects that explore the nature of warfare and the British Army through time.

Members of the Coldstream Guards during an infantry exercise in Germany, c1977
Timeline

Britain, the Army and the Cold War: Interactive Timeline

Explore the British Army’s role in the Cold War through this interactive timeline packed with over 100 sources. 

British soldiers and locals watch the burning of Belsen, May 1945
Video

The Liberation of Bergen-Belsen

Explore the British Army's liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and the substantial relief effort which followed.

Recruiting leaflet, Army Cadet Force, 1991
Timeline

Army Cadets: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of the British Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force through this interactive timeline. 

Jungle Survival Quiz
Home Activity

Jungle Survival Quiz

Have you got what it takes to survive in the jungle? Try our quiz to find out!

How to Draw: Desert edition
Home Activity

How to Draw: Desert edition

Use our step-by-step instructions to try your hand at desert-themed drawings.

How To Draw: Transport
Home Activity

How to Draw: Transport edition

Use our step-by-step instructions to have a go at drawing Army transport.

Morse Code Challenge
Home Activity

Morse Code Challenge

Can you crack the code? Try our Morse code challenge at home!